Health and environmental concerns are causing the limiting and/or obsoleting of the use of the heretofore classic thixotropic paint strippers based upon chlorinated solvents. However, solvent-based strippers employing solvents other than chlorinated materials have thus far not been wholly successful in removing today's paint/primer films (e.g., polyurethane, epoxy, and alkyd paints). Further, the preferred ester solvent of this invention (benzyl formate) would have heretofore been considered too expensive to warrant consideration as a replacement for chlorinated solvents.